Some conventional video cameras such as surveillance cameras and vehicle-mounted cameras have an automatic tracking function that automatically tracks a target image such as a person. In order to automatically track an object, it is necessary to detect the object. In a congested region in which objects are close together, the detecting accuracy decreases due to hindrance caused by closeness of objects. Hence, in a congested region, automatic tracking may be lost or the accuracy of automatic tracking may noticeably decrease.
Patent Litrature 1 discloses an automatic tracking apparatus that avoids impractical tracking and lowers the possibility of erroneous tracking by selecting a non-tracking mode for an image with respect to which it is difficult to perform tracking, such as an image of a congested region, and capturing an image of a designated fixed area.